Are you a 'mid-life' rider? If so, let me know how you look after yourself, or let me know how I can help you. Drop your questions below... Cheers. Ben thestrengthfactory.uk/programmes/the-over-40s-mtb-programme/
Another good video! Knowing the difference between yourself vs ego is important as you age and will help keep you on your bike and not spending months recovering from an injury.
Cheers mate. Did you listen to my latest Downtime Podcast yet? Loads of useful bits in there that you might also like. It came out 2nd April and has a discount code for the Over 40s Programme too. Thanks. Ben
Good for you mate. You might also be interested in this short series of free emails for riders over 40. Just drop the details in and the first one will be with you in minutes. strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
I personally disagree with the idea that full body workouts are some how less fatiguing than a split. I do a push/pull/leg split with a rest day after leg day, if I was doing heavy Squats and deadlifts twice a week, I'd be buried on my rides. But this split has been providing me ample recovery at 40, and I'm seeing hypertrophy and strength gains, training last sets to failure, all this while riding 5 days a week.
Fair enough mate, it is all about finding what works for you and your weekly schedule. If you feel great, then continue with what is working. In my personal experience and from working with a lot of riders, I find that more frequent exposure to a smaller, less demanding stimulus seems to work well. Cheers.
Hey mate, I am doing a short series of free emails just for over 40s MTB riders like you. They are packed full of useful tips and info to help you be the best rider possible. Just drop your details in here if you want to be fitter and stronger on your bike. Thanks: strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
46 here and definitely "less but constant" is my motto. Great advices and great improvement in the quality of video and audio with the wireless mic. Keep 'em coming Ben, cheers from Italy 🇮🇹
@gmbn get this guy on one of your episodes! Loads to offer to all of us, young and old! Excellent follow up to the first episode, standing up more has just been added to my to do list on my next ride!!!
TRX is a great tool. I pretty much just use them for upper body pulling exercises like rows and single arm rows. For more advanced riders I might do some press ups on them for a little instability too, but only once they have reached a good foundation of strength. I don't do much lower body work, except when rehabbing broken riders. Don't think of TRX as a training approach, just a tool in your tool kit that you can apply as and when needed. Ben
Good advice about riding at your level. I have first hand experience of this! Five years ago broke my collar bone chasing a bunch of younger fitter and better riders than myself. It was towards the end of good season where I'd made some good progression any to lose it all in an instant. The fist thing I did once back on a bike to get a skills upgrade which has improved my riding. My shoulder hasn't healed fully in that time, as an oldie now at 55 when I take knock it takes months for the effects to go away. Just had another skills upgrade in readiness for this year.
Another great vid. I've really enjoying the 8 week program but I find chin ups abrogate my tennis elbow. Is there any other exercises I can do instead? Thanks
Ah, no worries mate, elbows can be tricky. If the gym you are using has them, them doing chin ups on rings can be less stressful as your hands can turn and move more naturally. Otherwise, light reps of the lat pull down machine can be used until the elbow is better. Finally, you may just have to skip them or do some hanging for your grip for a few weeks until it is healed. P.S. Don't forget to see the physio if it persists. Ben
@@thestrengthfactory. thanks Ben. Been having trouble with it for a couple of years now. Physical job, Physical hobbies etc never get the chance to rest it. P.s keep up the great work 👍
I remember back in the 90's as a teen on a fully rigid bike on super rough trails, we HAD to stand up all the time. You didn't have a choice if you wanted to ride fast. Now on a full suspension and smooth trails my ability to stand for any length of time has greatly diminished. I have to agree with you, we need to stand more!
that was a good follow up to the first video, thanks a lot. I would add (from experience) that pilates and ypga help a lot... they are less demanding but enough to provide you with felxibility and core work that are essential on the bike for long rides... :)
@@thestrengthfactory. Yes yoga is good! If your a looking for strength and flexibility try Ashtanga yoga. I try to fit two sessions of self practice in a week. Also helps to counter sitting a desk all day.
True story.... old geezers... all the gear..no idea. Never building on the pyramid of experience. I always wonder.."what is my skill level". Apart from gauging against other riders, which is almost a sliding scale, how can you gauge your fitness and skill? AS a coach could you assess that? What would it be based on ? (42 years old too lol)
It is tricky to quantify skill as you say, Phil. You could always use trail grading - blue, red, black - and so on, but those vary so much as well and it is often possible to merely survive a tough trail, instead of really riding it properly. Fitness is a lot easier - get on a Wattbike or indoor trainer and hit some tests. Alternatively use a local hill and ride up it as hard as you can. Either way I would not worry about comparisons to other riders, just treat it as a starting point to build and improve on. Focus on yourself.
The standing up pedalling is a good one. I remember when i started 6yr ago and could barely stand pedalling for 100m, nowadays at 53 i could do 2 mile quite easily and that would be from the core strength gained from the biking nothing to do with any training
Hey mate, I am doing a short series of free emails just for over 40s MTB riders like you. They are packed full of useful tips and info to help you be the best rider possible. Just drop your details in here if you want to be fitter and stronger on your bike. Thanks: strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
If you're comfortable riding clipped in there are tons of benefit and little to no risk. I ride very rough terrain and clipless pedals help keep me attached to the bike. They're also lower profile and much less likely to pedal strike. By all means if you want to ride flats go for it, but saying that you're more likely to get injured crashing in clipless pedals is BS.
Hey Lok, it was a bit of a silly side point, and as I said, I can't prove it, but in my experience having ridden both clips and flats, the ability to get clear of the bike in a crash is useful. Seeing somebody going over the bars clipped in to their pedals can be really ugly. Cheers. Ben
@@thestrengthfactory. Yeah I was thrown otb from a pedal strike on flats and broke my pelvis. I also had a pedal strike that flexed my crank to the point that it cracked a carbon chainstay. No issues on clipless. I ride flats on big jump trails, but anything tech I'm clipped in.
@@thestrengthfactory. Yeah if you're not riding fast enough for clipless to be a benefit then you're probably not riding fast enough for flats to be problematic.
I'm with you on the flats! Sure, they might not be 100% as efficient as possible, but for me they are way more fun. And at this point, fun is what it's all about.
Hey mate, I am doing a short series of free emails just for over 40s MTB riders like you. They are packed full of useful tips and info to help you be the best rider possible. Just drop your details in here if you want to be fitter and stronger on your bike. Thanks: strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
Are you a 'mid-life' rider? If so, let me know how you look after yourself, or let me know how I can help you. Drop your questions below... Cheers. Ben
thestrengthfactory.uk/programmes/the-over-40s-mtb-programme/
Another good video! Knowing the difference between yourself vs ego is important as you age and will help keep you on your bike and not spending months recovering from an injury.
Cheers mate. Did you listen to my latest Downtime Podcast yet? Loads of useful bits in there that you might also like. It came out 2nd April and has a discount code for the Over 40s Programme too. Thanks. Ben
@@thestrengthfactory. just located it and will for sure check it out! Cheers!
Thankyou.....the big take-away for me today was as a rider in his 70s, is to play the long game, enjoy it and take it steady.
Good for you mate. You might also be interested in this short series of free emails for riders over 40. Just drop the details in and the first one will be with you in minutes.
strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
I personally disagree with the idea that full body workouts are some how less fatiguing than a split. I do a push/pull/leg split with a rest day after leg day, if I was doing heavy Squats and deadlifts twice a week, I'd be buried on my rides. But this split has been providing me ample recovery at 40, and I'm seeing hypertrophy and strength gains, training last sets to failure, all this while riding 5 days a week.
Fair enough mate, it is all about finding what works for you and your weekly schedule. If you feel great, then continue with what is working. In my personal experience and from working with a lot of riders, I find that more frequent exposure to a smaller, less demanding stimulus seems to work well. Cheers.
Good video! I'm 50 yrs old and still riding as much as I can on my MTB's and enjoying life.
Is that Clark Kent commenting on my videos........?
Hey mate, I am doing a short series of free emails just for over 40s MTB riders like you. They are packed full of useful tips and info to help you be the best rider possible. Just drop your details in here if you want to be fitter and stronger on your bike. Thanks: strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
46 here and definitely "less but constant" is my motto. Great advices and great improvement in the quality of video and audio with the wireless mic. Keep 'em coming Ben, cheers from Italy 🇮🇹
Thanks Claudio, I am paying a camera guy now, trying to step things up!
@gmbn get this guy on one of your episodes! Loads to offer to all of us, young and old! Excellent follow up to the first episode, standing up more has just been added to my to do list on my next ride!!!
haha, cheers mate.
Comments here are way better than on pink bike! Way to go Ben!
🤣🤣🤣
Good points. Thanks for a follow up episode!
No worries. Let me know what MTB fitness topics you want me to cover in future videos. Ben
Hey Ben, got any ideas for incorporating TRX EXERCISES into getting fitter for mtb?
TRX is a great tool. I pretty much just use them for upper body pulling exercises like rows and single arm rows. For more advanced riders I might do some press ups on them for a little instability too, but only once they have reached a good foundation of strength. I don't do much lower body work, except when rehabbing broken riders. Don't think of TRX as a training approach, just a tool in your tool kit that you can apply as and when needed. Ben
Good advice about riding at your level. I have first hand experience of this!
Five years ago broke my collar bone chasing a bunch of younger fitter and better riders than myself. It was towards the end of good season where I'd made some good progression any to lose it all in an instant. The fist thing I did once back on a bike to get a skills upgrade which has improved my riding.
My shoulder hasn't healed fully in that time, as an oldie now at 55 when I take knock it takes months for the effects to go away. Just had another skills upgrade in readiness for this year.
Brutal! Glad you have learnt from that one, and continue to upgrade the skills. Let me know if you want help upgrading the body too! Ben
Another great vid. I've really enjoying the 8 week program but I find chin ups abrogate my tennis elbow. Is there any other exercises I can do instead?
Thanks
Ah, no worries mate, elbows can be tricky. If the gym you are using has them, them doing chin ups on rings can be less stressful as your hands can turn and move more naturally. Otherwise, light reps of the lat pull down machine can be used until the elbow is better. Finally, you may just have to skip them or do some hanging for your grip for a few weeks until it is healed. P.S. Don't forget to see the physio if it persists. Ben
@@thestrengthfactory. thanks Ben. Been having trouble with it for a couple of years now. Physical job, Physical hobbies etc never get the chance to rest it.
P.s keep up the great work 👍
@@ab_mtb Cheers mate, you too.
I remember back in the 90's as a teen on a fully rigid bike on super rough trails, we HAD to stand up all the time. You didn't have a choice if you wanted to ride fast. Now on a full suspension and smooth trails my ability to stand for any length of time has greatly diminished. I have to agree with you, we need to stand more!
You know it mate. Do some standing pedalling on every ride and reap the rewards.
that was a good follow up to the first video, thanks a lot. I would add (from experience) that pilates and ypga help a lot... they are less demanding but enough to provide you with felxibility and core work that are essential on the bike for long rides... :)
Yes you're right actually. A few of my clients use some extra yoga to top-up their training in the week.
@@thestrengthfactory. Yes yoga is good! If your a looking for strength and flexibility try Ashtanga yoga. I try to fit two sessions of self practice in a week. Also helps to counter sitting a desk all day.
@@TheAsbrooks Namaste.
Came here after listening to you on the downtime podcast. All great advice! keep up the good work!!
Thanks Bill. Appreciate it.
True story.... old geezers... all the gear..no idea. Never building on the pyramid of experience. I always wonder.."what is my skill level". Apart from gauging against other riders, which is almost a sliding scale, how can you gauge your fitness and skill? AS a coach could you assess that? What would it be based on ? (42 years old too lol)
It is tricky to quantify skill as you say, Phil. You could always use trail grading - blue, red, black - and so on, but those vary so much as well and it is often possible to merely survive a tough trail, instead of really riding it properly.
Fitness is a lot easier - get on a Wattbike or indoor trainer and hit some tests. Alternatively use a local hill and ride up it as hard as you can.
Either way I would not worry about comparisons to other riders, just treat it as a starting point to build and improve on. Focus on yourself.
The standing up pedalling is a good one. I remember when i started 6yr ago and could barely stand pedalling for 100m, nowadays at 53 i could do 2 mile quite easily and that would be from the core strength gained from the biking nothing to do with any training
2 Miles!!!! Solid work, mate. Ben
Hey mate, I am doing a short series of free emails just for over 40s MTB riders like you. They are packed full of useful tips and info to help you be the best rider possible. Just drop your details in here if you want to be fitter and stronger on your bike. Thanks: strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
If you're comfortable riding clipped in there are tons of benefit and little to no risk. I ride very rough terrain and clipless pedals help keep me attached to the bike. They're also lower profile and much less likely to pedal strike. By all means if you want to ride flats go for it, but saying that you're more likely to get injured crashing in clipless pedals is BS.
Hey Lok, it was a bit of a silly side point, and as I said, I can't prove it, but in my experience having ridden both clips and flats, the ability to get clear of the bike in a crash is useful. Seeing somebody going over the bars clipped in to their pedals can be really ugly. Cheers. Ben
@@thestrengthfactory. Yeah I was thrown otb from a pedal strike on flats and broke my pelvis. I also had a pedal strike that flexed my crank to the point that it cracked a carbon chainstay. No issues on clipless. I ride flats on big jump trails, but anything tech I'm clipped in.
@@lokmtb8503 Fair enough, that sounds brutal mate. Pedal strikes are the worst!
@@thestrengthfactory. Yeah if you're not riding fast enough for clipless to be a benefit then you're probably not riding fast enough for flats to be problematic.
@@lokmtb8503 🤔
ride flats! yess
Flats for life dude.
I'm with you on the flats! Sure, they might not be 100% as efficient as possible, but for me they are way more fun. And at this point, fun is what it's all about.
@@doachs i take saving myself over efficiency anyday...
Is it e-bike?
@@damianu5074 yes mate. 👍🏻
That some good stuff 👍
Cheers bro
Hey mate, I am doing a short series of free emails just for over 40s MTB riders like you. They are packed full of useful tips and info to help you be the best rider possible. Just drop your details in here if you want to be fitter and stronger on your bike. Thanks: strength-factory.aweb.page/p/b5278a68-0bf6-4896-8ac2-787b12e7a98e
Get an E Bike, that's my advice. Now where are those chips and beer? 😂
There's always one! 🤣🤣🤣
I'm 21 but this still helps lmao
Glad to hear it. 😅